Overview
The 3rd New York Provisional Cavalry was a Union cavalry regiment organized in New York during the final months of the Civil War. The regiment was formed by consolidating the 13th and 16th New York Cavalry regiments on June 23, 1865. It served under the United States Army in the Eastern Theater and was primarily stationed near Washington, D.C., during its brief existence.
This unit is distinct from the original 3rd New York Cavalry and from the 13th and 16th New York Cavalry regiments prior to their consolidation.
Organization & Service
The 3rd New York Provisional Cavalry was officially organized on June 23, 1865, by merging the 13th and 16th New York Cavalry regiments. Colonel Nelson B. Sweitzer was appointed as the commanding officer of the new regiment. The unit was stationed at Camp Barry, near Washington, D.C., where it performed garrison and security duties during the closing period of the war and the early months of Reconstruction.
The regiment did not participate in any major campaigns or battles, as it was formed after the principal Confederate armies had surrendered. The 3rd New York Provisional Cavalry was mustered out of service on September 21, 1865, at Camp Barry. Its service was brief and primarily administrative, focused on the transition to peacetime operations.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
The 3rd New York Provisional Cavalry did not participate in any major campaigns or battles, as it was organized after the end of active hostilities in the Civil War.
Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 4 enlisted men to disease and other causes during its brief period of service. No battle casualties were reported.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel Nelson B. Sweitzer
- Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Coles
- Major George B. Bosworth
- Major John Birdsall
- Major Charles H. Hatch
Regimental Roster
The complete roster of the 3rd New York Provisional Cavalry, including officers and enlisted men, is available on the regiment’s roster page. This resource provides names, ranks, and other service details valuable for genealogical research.
To view the full roster, visit the 3rd New York Provisional Cavalry Roster page.
Sources & References
- New York State Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I
- Fox, William F. Regimental Losses in the American Civil War